WordofTheDay.US

easement

/ˈiːzm(ə)nt/ noun

In Latin: servitus Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about easement at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. (law) the privilege of using something that is not your own (as using another's land as a right of way to your own land).
  2. The act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance).
    he asked the nurse for relief from the constant pain

Origin

From Anglo-Norman aisement, easement, eisement, esament, esement, and Middle French aisement (“comfort, convenience, ease, facility, opportunity; a benefit, relief; a right to use land, a thing, etc.; a privy”), from aisier (“to put at ease; to facilitate”) + -ment (“-ment, suffix forming nouns, usually the action or state resulting from verbs”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)